cut

Divide a file into several parts (columns)
Writes to standard output selected parts of each line of each input file, or
standard input if no files are given or for a file name of `-'.

Syntax
cut [OPTION]... [FILE]...

In the options below, BYTE-LIST, CHARACTER-LIST, and FIELD-LIST are one or more
numbers or ranges (two numbers separated by a dash)

Bytes, characters, and fields are are numbered starting at 1 and
separated by commas.
Incomplete ranges can be given: -M means 1-M ; N- means N through end of line or last field.

Options
-b BYTE-LIST
--bytes=BYTE-LIST
Print only the bytes in positions listed in BYTE-LIST. Tabs and
backspaces are treated like any other character; they take up 1
byte.
-c CHARACTER-LIST
--characters=CHARACTER-LIST
Print only characters in positions listed in CHARACTER-LIST. The
same as `-b' for now, but internationalization will change that.
Tabs and backspaces are treated like any other character; they
take up 1 character.
-f FIELD-LIST
--fields=FIELD-LIST
Print only the fields listed in FIELD-LIST. Fields are separated
by a TAB character by default.
-d INPUT_DELIM_BYTE
--delimiter=INPUT_DELIM_BYTE
For `-f', fields are separated in the input by the first character
in INPUT_DELIM_BYTE (default is TAB).
-n
Do not split multi-byte characters (no-op for now).
-s
--only-delimited
For `-f', do not print lines that do not contain the field
separator character.
--output-delimiter=OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING
For `-f', output fields are separated by OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING The
default is to use the input delimiter.

Example

Parse out column 2 from a semicolon (;) delimited file:

$ cat myfile.txt | cut -d \; -f 2 > output.txt

"It seemed the world was divided into good and bad people. The good ones slept better... while the bad ones seemed to enjoy the waking hours much more" ~ Woody Allen

Related:

csplit - Split a file into context-determined piecesfmt - Reformat paragraph text fold - Wrap input lines to fit in specified widthhead - Output the first part of file(s) join - Join lines on a common field paste - Merge lines of filessplit - Split a file into fixed-size piecestail - Output the last part of files
Equivalent Windows command: FOR /F - Conditionally perform a command on items
in a text file
Equivalents in NT Batch/Perl Script - CUT Scripts